Teosinte and modern maize use different C allocation strategies in response to organic N amendment

Abstract Background and Aim With a growing focus on soil health, modern agroecosystems have begun to emphasize greater reliance on organic nitrogen (N) sources to meet crop N demands. Teosinte (Zea mays subsp. parviglumis), a wild relative of modern maize (Zea mays subsp. mays), is believed to modulate its belowground carbon (C) allocation based on the type of N in the soil, thus allowing for greater organic N uptake. However, linkages between belowground allocation and N acquisition from organic vs. inorganic N sources remain poorly understood. Methods We designed a 13C/15N dual label experiment in which we compared the C allocation patterns of modern maize and teosinte in response to inorganic (urea) and organic (cover crop residue) forms of N. Results Teosinte responded to organic N by increasing its biomass root-to-shoot (R:S) ratio by 50% compared to inorganic N, while modern maize maintained the same biomass R:S ratios in both N treatments. Recent photosynthate R:S ratio was greater in organic N than in inorganic N for both modern maize and teosinte (91% and 37%; respectively). Label-derived dissolved organic C, representing recent rhizodeposits, was 2.5 times greater in the organic N treatments for both genotypes. Conclusion Modern maize took up a similar amount of organic N as teosinte using different C allocation strategies. Our findings suggest that intensive breeding under high N input conditions has not affected modern maize’s access to organic N while improving its ability to take up inorganic N.